The Transfer Tavern

TT Battle: Steven Gerrard vs Mark Allen

The relationships between directors of football and managers can often be difficult, can’t they? Well, fortunately for Rangers, that is exactly the opposite with Mark Allen and Steven Gerrard.

Gerrard has only been in the Rangers managerial job for nine months, however, that has not stopped his relationship with the director of football at Ibrox from blossoming.

There is evidently mutual respect between the pair, which is so often not the case at other clubs where it may be strained which, obviously, does not benefit the club as well as positively as it could. There is no struggle for power, it is an affinity that has a shared vision: success for Rangers.

Earlier in the season, Allen exclusively gave an insight to The Herald regarding his and the Gers manager’s working relationship.

“Our relationship is very close, very tight,” Allen said. “We speak probably six, seven, eight times a day, we involve each other in everything. It is a pleasure, in that respect.”

In the media, Allen has since gone onto praise Gerrard’s impact on the side by saying “he has been absolutely fantastic and we are all delighted.”

The appreciation for each other’s work does not end there. In regards to Allen’s dealing of the Allan McGregor transfer, he hailed the directors work as he told the media that he “still can’t believe we got him for free” and that it was “a stroke of genius from Mark Allen.”

Giving such acknowledgement will only strengthen the bond between the pair and create a healthy working environment on the blue side of Glasgow.

The working relationship appears to be so open and honest so there does not seem to be a situation where there is a power struggle, but if and when, eventually, a situation does arise where conflict is caused, being the director of football, Allen will surely take charge and that would surely apply to the final say on transfer dealings too. Given how they have worked together so far, it seems nothing will stop the pair from being successful at Rangers, though.